1976 Songs: Between the Lines

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Now we come to the first song that you won’t know. And you won’t know the artist by name until I remind you. At least I can get a big ol’ “slope” out of New Jersey for this, because she definitely knows the artist. Here we go back 50 years! Between the Lines - Steve Goodman Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song, and he told me that it was the perfect country and western song. (David Allan Coe, “You Never Even Called Me By My Name”) Oh, that guy. Yeah. The guy who wrote “City of New Orleans.” The guy who sings the Cubs’ victory song, “Go Cubs Go.” He also wrote or co-wrote enough songs that Jimmy Buffett did to comprise a compilation album (“Jimmy Buffett Sings Steve Goodman”). Among them was “Banana Republic,” which contained the semi-title of the album this song came from, “Give me some words I can dance to or a melody that rhymes.” I always thought George Strait or Asleep At the Wheel should have covered this song, because it’s straight-up Texas swing (which means Linda? NO!!!!!!). Not what you’d expect from a guy from Chicago, but… Goodman was only with us for 36 years, half of which he spent battling leukemia. He gave us a treasure trove of great music in that short period of time, though. Between the Lines Written by Steve Goodman and Steve Burgh Recorded by Steve Goodman From Words We Can Dance To, 1976 You might have known love was lying (Linda? NO!!!!!):